Woody Sez

1. This Woody Guthrie biopic is refreshingly earnest. Leave the irony and edginess outside. This is soothing, easy, and pleasant musical theater!

2. You won’t feel like you’re in NYC even though you’re on 22nd Street. You’ll feel more like you’re in a cozy church basement in Oklahoma watching a touring troupe of troubadours tell the story of America’s favorite folk singer. It feels right that this production seems so out of place in NYC. Again, refreshing!

3. It is surprisingly relevant. Americans have been “fighting the good fight” for more than a century and it takes a (true) story like this to remind us that Wall Street tycoons have been in charge of this country for a really long time. Politics are politics, whether its 2017 or 1935.

4. The cast is comprised of 4 exceptionally gifted musicians who all masterfully play a wide array of instruments and have beautiful voices. Fun bonus: the cast hosts an actual hootenanny after the show on Sundays at a bar a couple blocks away.

5. The show is smoothly directed, superbly lit, and sounds beautiful. To boot, the newly refurbished Irish Repertory Theatre is very comfortable and immaculate.